Sibierski

Just bringing over from Hall thread to stay on topic. One thing I don’t get with Howe, what the bar would be to get a start. Tino only came in because Burn was injured, then moved to RB when Trippier was out and Burn was back, when both were then available, he’s gone. He’s not started when both have been available. We’re too rigid in who starts in the back line IMO, which is overall reflective to our continued same set up/style. When it works, it works great, when it doesn’t, it’s just double down persistence. When we get more people back over next month, hopefully we see some more flexibility in our approach, with the original set up the default because it is great and fun when it works.

I can see both Isak and Willock being in the match day squad tomorrow. Even if neither feature at all, I could see Howe viewing having them being involved in the warm up/changing room environment worth the impact alone to get things closer to being back to normal with more senior 1st team players involved in the mix.

Even if he's not featured much (if anything meaningful at all) this season, I'm still happy we made the move to get him. I personally rate him highly, and believe there's a strong market for making more signings like him whilst we're in our position of not being a regular top 4, so can (and should) be able to play younger players more. There's so much strong English talent out there, which can save so much money further down the line, and if they're not seeing a break through at the big clubs but are at us, we should be taking advantage whilst that's there. Likewise outside the top sides, the English pool is strong and rest of this decade will show that.

I assume any compromise would be reduced compo (like £10m mark) and he takes up position 1st September. So it mitigates our transfer business in summer and means Man Utd have to wait out a crucial summer window.

Yea, I don’t get it either. Overall, he’s average league finishes for West Ham have been good. I can only assume, there’s a feeling both with Moyes and club, that this season is a natural end, and they don’t want to miss out on the right manager by not looking at alternatives in case Moyes turns around end of season and says he’s off. Have a reasonable chance of going far again in Europe if they get a favourable draw. 21-22, Europa SFs, 22-23, win Conference League, 23-24, should go deep in Europa again. Don’t think West Ham will have a run like this again for sometime.

Wayne Rooney to step in please.

Top 7 was the aim before the season, and despite the mess we've endured, it's still a viable chance (with an outside shot of domestic success). Europe disappointing with how it ended, but on face of it the group we had and first experience, it's produced some great memories and our level wasn't far off sides that will go into QFs. Just main concern, despite still being close to 7th place finish, our performances have not indicated that we look like finishing there. After Arsenal, we go on a run of 6 games where there's no reason we can't be going into games fancying a win. Need to get the fear back, as sides at the moment enjoy playing us because they know they'll have a fair amount of chances and back themselves to get a result as a result. Last season, it was barely a sniff and sides had to be clinical to get a result. Mood will flicker game by game, but don't think a true feeling will be known till the March Internationals. Could be FA Cup SFs and 7th going into that break (or just within 1-2 points of 7th), or out of FA Cup and bottom half.

Cheering on Liverpool next weekend to ensure European spot drops to 6th, and hope someone in top 6 wins FA Cup if we don’t. Then it keeps Europa Conference leagues hopes alive.

Well Bruno didn’t get booked, so not quite worse case. But messy draw and likely Schar injured.

Be interesting to see what the transfer approach is in summer. Felt like last summer, Howe rightly had sway over certain business, which meant getting someone like Barnes over others. But this summer, would board back him the same way?

Ritchie White on over Hall in midfield. That's 100% the Hall deal cancelled.

I get Dubravka arguably should do better, but he's getting peppered regularly. Not like we're making sides have to take difficult chances, they're unopposed in our box. Just too easy to play against. Fun of you attack, we attack, but we've got no striker and Almiron in our attack

This is the key for me. Shouldn't matter who is in goal, any reasonable side should not be conceding 9 goals to those three sides at home. Something fundamentally wrong with us.

Maybe try Hall in midfield?

We're like a fucking sieve man.

All on FA Cup. That's all that can save a proper crap season this (in terms of what the hope/excitement was at the start)

Take 0-0 at HT. Could’ve been behind. Hopefully sort a few things out and come out firing. Lack of a proper striker telling I feel.

Best case, easy home win, clean sheet, no injures. Worse case, a mess of a draw again, Bruno yellow card, another injury.

Think the problem with Hall, Howe clearly has a very specific ask of players in this system. Hall for me is more of a CM then he’s a LB at this current stage in his career development. But he’s then stuck between two places. Howe doesn’t favour him defensively (which is understandable as it’s an area of his game he’s young at playing in), then in midfield, it’s an all rounder role required, which again he’s more geared and talented going forward rather than backwards Do think overall it’s poor to not to use home hardly at all, because he’s not even playing u23 games. So it’s literally a year of minimal to no football in his crucial development stage. Hopefully it’s a case of what’s happening on training ground is far greater and we see benefits next season. Do feel he’s one of our better technical players, who can play keep ball in tight spaces, and sort of players we need to have in the side more as we move forward and need to pull teams side to side and invite press on.

Couldn’t give a crap who it is. All based on FM stats and who’s got the most connections in the press to big up their name. Like Monchi is a prime example of someone who’s got a name, goes to clubs and regularly involved with crap. Just needs to be someone that’s competent in the role, able to work with senior figures who are loud and control them, joining up the dots, and strong in negotiations. In my opinion, there’s nothing worse sometimes than getting someone who’s been established at clubs. As it usually results in them sticking to their previous behaviours, with Chelsea a prime example of over past 18 months. Guys involved in transfers who are just bringing players in from clubs they’ve been at previously.

Losing Ashworth won’t be a problem, but not be able to replace him in the coming months would be. Because talks to sign players will be starting before season ends, and we’d require someone to join it all up and not end up in a situation where Howe gets pissed off because it’s a mess and nothing is moving.

Big L for Man Utd when Ashworth tells them to fuck off.

Back to smashing sides at home with ease please. 4-1

Problem though, it’s usually then meaning Gordon playing non stop 90s. Think our overall management of players physical outputs would be fine if we didn’t need to be at all full energy for every game, able to dictate the pace of game at times and consequently easing the load on our players. Probably the next step of evolution for us under Howe. It does feel like we can be similar to how Liverpools Klopp are over the years, full throttle, but alongside it we just lack the possession aspect, so we can turn it on and off when needed.

Lose it within 3 seconds playing a short corner